Sunday, December 6, 2009

I Was a Cub Scout - I Want You to Know That There Is Always Hope (2008)

Guitars? Check. Pleasant heartfelt vocals? Check. Delighful layers of synth? Check. Kickass drummer? Check. "I Want You to Know That There is Always Hope," the first and only release by William Bowerman and Todd Marriott under the name I Was a Cub Scout is the latest in the line of great musical collaboration in the past few years. The Postal Service did it with "Give Up," The Mountain Goats and Kaki King did it with "Black Pear Tree" and I Was a Cub Scout don't miss a beat with this record. In the same aspect of albums like "The Ugly Organ" or "Good News for People Who Love Bad News," the first few tracks seem to flow together seamlessly. The first song, "Save Your Wishes" (the single that got the band a lot of recognition on eyeToones) is a tale of too little too late, giving someone yourself, getting nothing in return and then having them want you after you've been hurt and they miss the attention. Marriott's feelings towards the song's subject are best displayed in the chorus, "Save your wishes 'cause they won't help you and keep your kisses, as they're unwanted." Gang vocals and drums galore flesh out the following track, "Echoes" and go straight into "Lucean." The fourth song, "Pink Squares," is probably the band's most well known song, both released as a single and having been made into a music video. Neil Young once said that it was better to burn out than to fade away, and while it was sad to see something so good end so soon, it comes as a relief that it ended before it had the chance to jump the shark.